- Joined
- Dec 22, 1999
- Messages
- 92
I'm a long-time member and daily lurker on BladeForums. I don't post very often because I still don't consider myself very knowledgeable about knives.
I recently became interested in knifemaking. I told my wife I could probably save some money if I made the knives myself
. I read through all the archives in the Shoptalk forum. I was amazed at all the wonderful and useful information available here.
The absolute best advice I read for a beginning knifemaker is to buy a few knife kits and build them. This allows you to learn something about how the knives go together and what all is involved in building them without making a large investment in equipment. It also allows you to end up with a semi-decent knife when you are finished, even if you make a few mistakes along the way.
I bought three kits from Texas Knifemaker's Supply. They were very generous with their time and advice when I called them. I told them I was just starting out and they tried to only sell me what I needed. I told them I wanted several kits and they tried to make sure that each kit had something different I could learn to do.
I'm just about to finish the first kit. I have already learned some things about what to do (and more importantly what NOT to do) when assembling a knife. I had no idea I would enjoy shaping and polishing the handle so much! Obviously I have a whole lot more to learn. I'm looking forward to starting on the next knife in a few days.
I also have an even greater respect for those great craftsmen who make custom knives from "scratch" and make even a partial living at it!
I also want to thank Gene Osborn of Center Cross Knives in Fort Worth, Texas. I visited with Gene and his wife Pat for several hours on a Saturday back in December. Pat entertained my wife while Gene showed me some wonderful knives he had made and gave me a tour of his shop. He answered all of my questions and gave me a lot of great advice. He also suggested I try some kits first. I bought a couple of great knives from Gene while I was there (it WAS almost Christmas
). I also bought Gene's knifemaking video. It has been a big help for me.
After doing a lot of research, I bought a small grinder and a drill press. I also bought a "Knifemaker's Vise" from Koval. This is a really handy vise that holds the blade or the handle rock-steady at any angle you need. It was really great for shaping and sanding the handle on my kit knife.
Thanks again to everyone for all the help and information. This really is an incredible resource and a GREAT group of people!
I recently became interested in knifemaking. I told my wife I could probably save some money if I made the knives myself
. I read through all the archives in the Shoptalk forum. I was amazed at all the wonderful and useful information available here. The absolute best advice I read for a beginning knifemaker is to buy a few knife kits and build them. This allows you to learn something about how the knives go together and what all is involved in building them without making a large investment in equipment. It also allows you to end up with a semi-decent knife when you are finished, even if you make a few mistakes along the way.
I bought three kits from Texas Knifemaker's Supply. They were very generous with their time and advice when I called them. I told them I was just starting out and they tried to only sell me what I needed. I told them I wanted several kits and they tried to make sure that each kit had something different I could learn to do.
I'm just about to finish the first kit. I have already learned some things about what to do (and more importantly what NOT to do) when assembling a knife. I had no idea I would enjoy shaping and polishing the handle so much! Obviously I have a whole lot more to learn. I'm looking forward to starting on the next knife in a few days.
I also have an even greater respect for those great craftsmen who make custom knives from "scratch" and make even a partial living at it!
I also want to thank Gene Osborn of Center Cross Knives in Fort Worth, Texas. I visited with Gene and his wife Pat for several hours on a Saturday back in December. Pat entertained my wife while Gene showed me some wonderful knives he had made and gave me a tour of his shop. He answered all of my questions and gave me a lot of great advice. He also suggested I try some kits first. I bought a couple of great knives from Gene while I was there (it WAS almost Christmas
). I also bought Gene's knifemaking video. It has been a big help for me.After doing a lot of research, I bought a small grinder and a drill press. I also bought a "Knifemaker's Vise" from Koval. This is a really handy vise that holds the blade or the handle rock-steady at any angle you need. It was really great for shaping and sanding the handle on my kit knife.
Thanks again to everyone for all the help and information. This really is an incredible resource and a GREAT group of people!